New York, NY —

New Songs
Elizabeth & the Catapult, Ed Pastorini and Gabriel Kahane

Merkin Hall
at Kaufman Center, 129 W. 67th Street
(between Broadway and Amsterdam)
» Tickets
» New Sounds Live 2009-2010 Concert Season

The season concludes with New Songs, a concert exploring new approaches to the art song, a form perfected by Schubert but currently evolving under the influence of rock, jazz and minimalism. Hear what might be a baroque pop-leaning commissioned work by composer/songwriter Elizabeth Ziman, leader of the pop/rock trio Elizabeth and the Catapult, along with a set by jazz-trained singer/pianist and “trigonometrical melodist” Ed Pastorini. The program also boasts eclectic singer/pianist/composer Gabriel Kahane, whose music absorbs everything from nineteen-twenties neoclassicism to blue-grass and modern indie pop and can easily be at home in a club or a concert hall.

This concert will be webcast on Q2 and recorded for future New Sounds broadcast.

Elizabeth & the Catapult
Elizabeth Ziman’s distinctive songwriting reflects a unique blend of pop playfulness and grown-up introspection that embody a vibrant mix of open-hearted wonder, whimsical humor and forthright emotional insight, merging classic pop melodicism with an array of acoustic textures, jazz twists and orchestral flourishes. Elizabeth and the Catapult are a beloved favorite on New York's downtown club scene, where the threesome's winsome tunes and energetic, surprise-filled live shows have won them a large and devoted local fan base.

Gabriel Kahane
Singer, pianist and composer Gabriel Kahane is at the forefront of a generation of artists who are reinventing the landscape of music in the 21st century. Armed with a “sonorous, mesmerizing baritone” (The New Yorker) and a profound gift for composition, Kahane has found niches in the indie, classical and theater worlds while effortlessly blurring the lines between them. His “gentle, smoky baritone and heartfelt delivery mesmerized an audience that filled the room to bursting,” says the New York Times.

Ed Pastorini
Ed Pastorini leads the all-star downtown band 101 Crustaceans, but he has also written startling and original songs for his own solo performances, usually with piano but occasionally guitar. He studied piano with Lenny Tristano but loved the Beatles and Beefheart even more than jazz. His songs reflect all these influences as well as his literary heroes Joyce, Beckett and Pinter. Ed's raspy, accurate singing, trigonometrical melodies, and the unmatched brilliance of his lyrics have made him a legend in the downtown scene. Artists with whom Ed has worked include Elysian Fields and Beth Orton.

Additional Resources:
» Elizabeth & the Catapult's website
» Gabriel Kahane's website
» Ed Pastorini's site
» New Sounds Live 2009-2010 Concert Season
» Merkin Hall